Spring wheel



Patented Feb. 22, 1927.

r tra ners-.51.

WILLIAM w. TEW, or BANKS, ALAB MA.

SPRING WHEEL.

Application filed December 19, 1924. SerialNo. 756,970.

-My invention is an improvement in spring wheels for vehicles, and relates more especially to that particular class in which the shock-absorbing springs are interposed between an inner hub section on an outer tire section. V

The principal object of my present invention is to construct a spring wheel of this general construction that will effectuallyprovide the required resiliency to absorb shocks to the vehicle in travelling over an uneven roadway to thereby prevent vibrations resulting from such shocks being transmitted to the body of the vehicle.

A further object of my invention is to provide a spring wheel of light construction, consistent with the required strength, for use more especially in connection with auto mobiles, and in which the several parts cooperating to produce the desired results are thoroughly bracedto increase the stability of the Wheel and fortify it against unusual strains in use.

Other objects and advantages of my invention will hereinafter appear, and what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters-Patent is more specifically pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a sideelevation of a springwheel constructed in accordance with my invention.

Fig. '2. is an enlarged detail vertical sectional view through the upper half of the wheel. V

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the wheel with the side plates removed.

Fig. t is an, enlarged side elevation of a segment of the wheel as illustrated in Fig.

Fig. 5 is a side elevation of one of the plates for bracing thesprings. b

Fig. 6 is a detail sectional View showing the manner of connecting the bracing plates to the wheel felly.

The wheel is practically made of two sections, an inner hub section 10 and an outer tire section 11, between which the shock absorbing springs 12 and interposed and confined by side plates 13 carried by the tire section and overlapping the hub section.

In the present instance the inner section of the wheelconsists of ahub 14, of ordinary construction, and betweenthe spaced apart circumferential flanges 1 1 of this hub' is attached a wooden block 17, in the form of a disk, said Wooden disk having securedaround the circumference thereof a metal rim 16. The hub is of the conventional type with one of the flanges re1novable,and' in this instance it permits the disk to be placed in between the flanges, between which latter said wooden disk fits tightly, and by using a solid wooden piece for this part of the hub section li htness, strength, and economy of construction are obtained. For the purpose of securing the wooden disk or block and hub together bolts or rivets 18 are employed,'and screws 19' are used in fastening the metal rim 16 to the circumference of said wooden disk. This construction of the hub section provides an important part of the wheel which will be strong and durable to carry andreinforce the connection thereto of the cooperating parts, and for the purpose of connecting the inner ends of the springs 12 to this hub section there are a series of pins or lugs 22- projecting radially from'the rim 16, being rigidly secured to said rim, as for instance as illustrated in Fig. 4 of the drawings; while'to provide for bracing the side plates 13 13 together and to connect the hub and rim or tire section for turning one by the other, as hereinafter explained, the wooden disk of SELld'llllb sect1on is provided with a series of transverse holes, preferably four in number, receiving metalthimbles to present wear-resisting surfaces.

The outer portion of the wheel or tire section 11 consists of a metal felly or rim 23 which carries the't-ire 24 and its rim 25,

and this'felly is'formed'with inwardly-projecting side flanges (Fig. 6) and perforated cars 23, the latter receiving bolts 26 by which the side plates 13 are secured to this portion of the wheel.

The coiled springs 12 which are interposed between the inner hub section and outer tire section lit at their outer ends between the short side flanges 23 of the rim 23, being sprung into this position after their inner ends-are fitted over the project- 111g pms or-lugs 22; it being understood that when the wheel is c0n1pletedthat is all the springs are applied-said springs are under such tension between the hub and tire sections that they will not become displaced in the operation of the wheel or when a spring comes to the upper part of the'wheel and is slightly expanded by the weight of the vchicle; in other words, in putting a spring in place it is contracted to some extent. As

so i,

explained the outer ends of the springs are retained against lateral displacement by the inturned side flanges 2!- ot the rim 23, and in order to hold them agamstc1rcu1nterential movement, as well asto brace them for a distance of their outer length, I provide U-shaped plates 27 positioned between said springs to impinge against the same, being rigidly secured to the run by rivet-s 28. The connecting portion of these U-shaipeil plates 1 lits between the side flanges 23* and the pro- 'ectin members thereof bear a 'ainstpmh b '0 olmng springs, and it will be noted that said projecting members extend lo near the outer ends ot the pinsor lugs 22 whereby these OlLlllOlllS-s-lllt, plates and lngscooperate to brace the springs and ell'ectively increase the stability of the wheel. The par ticular means described for holding the outer ends of the springs against circum- 'lerential and lateral play also provides for easily substitutinga new spring for an old one, inasmuchas it is only necessary to place i the inner end of a spring over the projecting lug22:and then contract said spring suiticiently so that the outer endthereot can be sprung into position between the flanges 22% and projecting members of the Ushaped plates.

The two sections hereinbetore described constituting the main parts of the wheel and held apart resiliently by the interposed springs are fortified against independent lateral movementwithrespeet to each other ,i rw ,1

stronger springs, Act.

It will be apparent from the drawings that in the operation of the wheel, applied to an automobile the pulling force exerted on one of the sections-the hub section of rear wheels and thetire section of the front or guiding whecls-and (OllllIlUIllCtttQtl to the other section through the medium of the springs, and of course inthe ordinary running of the vehicle the comparatively light strain on the springs is taken up by all of them, but in order to limit the circuin'lerential movement of the pulling section with respect to the other section when an extraordinary pulling strain is exerted said sec-- tions are connected by bolts 29 extending between the side plates 18 oil. the the section through theopenings 21 in the hubsection, said bolts being pre'te ably provided with rollers 30 to reduce friction when either section of the wheel is moved to bring the belt or roller thereon against the side oi. the opening.

Although I, have shown the wheel as pro vided with a pneumatic tire it will be understood ot course that the resiliency ot the spring wheel will permit: the use of a solid tire, inasmuch as the springs interposed betwcenthe wheel. sections inoride a resiliency that will etliectively take up or absorb shocks to which the wheel. may be subjected in use, and of course thislorm oi shock absorber for automobiles is located at the most elil'ective point.

I clainnl. A spring wheel. for vehicles con'iprising an inner hub section having lugs projecting from the periphery thereof, an outer rin section having inwardly projecting side flanges, and tapered springs engaging the logs on the hub section and seated between the flanges of the rim section; together with U-shaped plates attached to the rim section between the outer ends of the springs and presenting inwardly projecting members etatending to and cooperating with the atoresaid lugs for holding the springs in place.

:2. A spring wheel tor vehicles comprising an inner hub section having radii'tlly projerting round lugs projecting from the periphery thereot at a distance therefrom, an outer rnn sect on having inwariilly pro ectingside flanges, and tapered spiral springs the inner cont acted ends oi which eng go the lugs on the hub section and the outer wider ends of which fit between tl store said llai'iges ot' the rim sectimi; together with U-shapcd plates secured within the rim section between the llanges thereof and be tween the outer ends of thesprin the meatbcrs oli companionU-shaped plates confining the outer ends of adjoining springs and projecting inwardly to near theouter ends oi the lugs on the hub section to cooperate with i WILLIAM w. raw.

said lugs to hold the springs in place.

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